MLB free agency: Juan Soto reportedly agrees to megadeal with ...
MLB free agency is upon us, with the league's winter meetings kicking things off in earnest on Monday in Dallas. The name on everyone's lips is Juan Soto, but he's not the only free agent who has a big decision to make this winter.
Here's a quick look at where things stand so far this offseason:
Juan Soto agrees to record-shattering deal with MetsIt's Juan Soto to the New York Mets via the richest known deal in the history of sports.
The former New York Yankees slugger received the most anticipated payday of the offseason, agreeing to a 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets on Sunday, according to multiple reports.
Shohei Ohtani's 10-year, $700 million contract last season previously stood as the richest in sports history. But his record stood for only one year. And unlike Ohtani's deal, Soto's reportedly includes no deferred money and has escalators that can inflate the contract's value to $800 million.
Who has signed so far?Since the end of the World Series, the pitching market has been active, headlined by the Dodgers and Blake Snell agreeing to a five-year, $182 million deal. The Mets and Frankie Montas are also in agreement on a two-year, $34 million deal, while the A's signed Luis Severino to a three-year, $67 million deal — the largest guaranteed contract in franchise history.
Waiting on Roki SasakiJapanese right-hander Roki Sasaki was posted Monday morning as the league's winter meetings got underway, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi. Sasaki's posting now opens a 45-day window, which begins Tuesday and runs through 5 p.m. ET on Jan. 23. Every MLB team is now allowed to attempt to sway the 23-year-old talent to sign when the international amateur signing period opens Jan. 15.
Because Sasaki is younger than 23, he is not eligible for the kind of deal his countryman, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, signed last year. Instead, he is limited to the international bonus pools, which are typically used to sign Latin American amateurs.
Waiting until 2025 will carry significant financial benefits for both Sasaki and his current team, the Chiba Lotte Marines of NPB. The international bonus pools reset when the new signing period starts in 2025, with every team having between $5 million and $8 million. Sasaki will get more money by waiting, and that matters to the Marines because the posting fee they receive will be 20% of his signing bonus.
Required reading:
Ranking the top 50 players available this winter
What fans should expect from this year's winter meetings
Where does the starting pitching market stand?
Follow along with Yahoo Sports as we track all the rumors, signings and more during MLB free agency:
Live13 updates
Juan Soto joining Mets on $765M deal
It's Juan Soto to the New York Mets via the richest known deal in the history of sports.
The New York Yankees slugger received the most anticipated payday of the offseason on Sunday, agreeing to a 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets, according to multiple reports.
For full details on the record-shattering contract, read here.
Mon, December 9, 2024 at 11:56 PM GMT+1
Padres manager Mike Shildt was thrilled for Juan Soto getting his massive deal reminding everyone that Judge Judy was earning $47 million a year: ‘And I don’t think she really threw a really good curveball or a slider.’’
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 9, 2024
Mon, December 9, 2024 at 10:36 PM GMT+1
The 37-year-old Cobb made only five appearances between the regular season and postseason with the Guardians last season.
He pitched 16 1/3 innings over three regular-season starts, recording a 1.04 WHIP and 2.76 ERA. Cobb did not start his season until August after undergoing left hip surgery and dealing with an injured right shoulder.
Free-agent right-hander Alex Cobb in agreement with Tigers on one-year contract, sources tell @TheAthletic. Deal is pending a physical.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 9, 2024
Mon, December 9, 2024 at 9:29 PM GMT+1
Nationals manager Dave Martinez on how happy he is for Soto: “I love Juan. I can sit here and say that I’m the only manager who won the World Series with him. How about that?”
— Deesha (@DeeshaThosar) December 9, 2024
Mon, December 9, 2024 at 8:07 PM GMT+1
The 31-year-old Romano made only 15 appearances last season with the Blue Jays. His season was cut short in July after he underwent surgery to repair an impingement in his right elbow. Two months later, he was shut down for the year.
Over six years in Toronto, Romano recorded 105 saves in 229 2/3 innings pitched. He struck out 285 batters in 231 winnings with a 1.14 WHIP and a posted a .205 opponent batting average.
After allowing Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez to walk in free agency, the Phillies begin reshaping their bullpen with the addition of Romano.
The Phillies are close to a one-year deal with Jordan Romano, sources tell me and @feinsand. The deal is still pending physical.
— Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) December 9, 2024
Mon, December 9, 2024 at 6:27 PM GMT+1
The Brewers are among the teams still engaged with the White Sox on Garrett Crochet, sources say. @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 9, 2024
Mon, December 9, 2024 at 6:07 PM GMT+1
Mon, December 9, 2024 at 4:27 PM GMT+1
Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki has been posted now that the MLB winter meetings are underway, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi.
Sasaki's posting opens a 45-day window, which begins Tuesday and runs through 5 p.m. ET Jan. 23. Every MLB team is now allowed to attempt to sway the 23-year-old talent to sign when the international amateur signing period opens Jan. 15.
With Sasaki’s posting period opening today, all signs point to him signing with an @MLB team between Jan. 15 and Jan. 23.
The new @MLB international signing period (for all players) begins Jan. 15, and Sasaki’s posting window closes Jan. 23. @MLBNetwork https://t.co/gVcZmnCgdX
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 9, 2024
Because Sasaki is younger than 23, he is not eligible for the kind of deal his countryman, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, signed last year. Instead, he is limited to the international bonus pools, which are typically used to sign Latin American amateurs.
Read the full story here.
Mon, December 9, 2024 at 4:04 PM GMT+1
For 327 halcyon days, Juan Soto was a New York Yankee.
It was a glorious, swashbuckling tenure. One filled with swaggering acts of baseballing dominance — no-doubt homers and defiant bases on balls and gestures of love to hordes of adoring bleacher creatures. A perfect match, they said. Soto, a monumental player born to play for baseball’s most monumental outfit. In ALCS Game 5, with an at-bat for the ages and a swing for the books, Soto sent the Yankees to the World Series. It all felt like just the beginning.
Late Sunday night, that joyride came to a sudden, thudding and definitive end.
Soto is now a New York Met.
Mets owner Steve Cohen extended an eye-popping, paradigm-shifting, 15-year, $765 million contract to make that possible. It is not just the largest deal in MLB history; it’s the largest deal in sports history. Cohen, one of the planet’s 100 richest souls, was willing to reach heretofore unthinkable heights to bring Soto to Queens. He outbid the Yanks, plain and simple.
Read the full story here.
Mon, December 9, 2024 at 5:32 AM GMT+1
Juan Soto posted this picture of himself at Citi Field to Instagram years back as a member of the Nationals.
Now, Soto is reportedly heading to Queens ➡️ pic.twitter.com/vbXsLtQkr7
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) December 9, 2024
Mon, December 9, 2024 at 5:17 AM GMT+1
Mon, December 9, 2024 at 5:05 AM GMT+1
Earlier Sunday, the Dodgers struck a deal with Michael Conforto, poaching him from the NL West rival Giants. Conforto is joining the World Series champion Dodgers on a one-year, $17 million contract, according to multiple reports.
Conforto's is one of a number of deals already by the Dodgers, who kicked off the offseason in November by signing two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell, also from the Giants.
For full details, read here.
Mon, December 9, 2024 at 4:51 AM GMT+1
With the dust not yet settled on the news of the Juan Soto contract, news broke that reliever Blake Treinen has agreed to a contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 36-year-old righty will return to Los Angeles for his fifth season with the franchise, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.
Right-handed reliever Blake Treinen and the Los Angeles Dodgers are in agreement on a contract, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 9, 2024
